Teddy grew up navigating different worlds: he was a football player, a musical theater student and the grandson of a Pentecostal pastor. Teddy was exposed to a wider variety of music than most βcountry boysβ. In high school and over the next few years he was in several bands, genres ranging from 80βs hair metal, funk, modern metalcore, soul, and country alternative bands.
These experiences make Teddy who he is as an artist.
In March of 2019, Teddy went on his first US tour as a hip-hop artist with his best friend Addy Maxwell, which he describes as freeing experience, as he was able to continue to expand into uncharted territory. With this in mind, Teddy began to explore integrating the various genres he loved: metal, pop-punk, soul/funk, country, gospel, r&b, and show-tunes, into one genre that is Teddy Swims.
Teddy is the accumulation of past projects. Swims stands for: someone who isnβt me sometimes, a reference to Teddyβs struggle to integrate the different parts of himself. For Teddy, the goal is to break barriers and bring people together. About the project, Teddy says, βThere are no categories, no stereotypes, no statistic is a definite number. Until we learn to see every person as an individual, we will never truly reach unity.β
Please Turn Green
Teddy Swims Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I hadn't seen it for myself
It ain't been problem, not thinkin' often 'bout you
We called it quits, I put it in my rearview
One light away, on my way back home
Thought I was done movin' on
But then you both pulled up, I haven't seen you in weeks
Bet you just left a party and nobody saw you leave
Like we used to, in the red of summer
Now we're both stopped in the same place at 11:23
Prayin' that this light would just, please, please turn green
Just please, turn green
We used to love when it'd turned red
So I could lean to my right side and kiss your lips
Now I'm here in the car and half my heart is to my left
Never thought that I'd have to watch you doin' that with him
But then you both pulled up, I haven't seen you in weeks
I had to watch you look at him like you used to look at me
Bet you just left a party and nobody saw you leave
Like we used to, in the red of summer
Now we're both stopped in the same place at 11:23
Prayin' that this light would just, please, please turn green
Just please, turn
Even if when I close my eyes, you're still in the picture
Even if I run this light, can't outrun the missin' you
Thought I had you out my mind
But then you both pulled up, I haven't seen you in weeks
I had to watch you look at him like you used to look at me
Bet you just left a party and nobody saw you leave
Like we used to, in the red of summer
Now we're both stopped in the same place at 11:23
Prayin' that this light would just, please, please turn green
Just please, turn green
"Please Turn Green" is a song by Teddy Swims about encountering an ex-lover unexpectedly while driving. The lyrics describe the conflicting emotions the singer feels upon seeing his former flame with someone else. The song's chorus references a familiar scenario of waiting at a red light, but wishing it would turn green so he can move on from the encounter. The lyrics describe the pain of heartbreak, the difficulty of moving on, and the complex emotions that often come when running into an ex-lover.
The song opens with the singer hearing about his ex finding someone new. He insists that he hasn't thought much about her, as he has put their past behind him. But the very next moment, he spots her and her new partner at a stoplight. He's caught off-guard and his emotions are stirred up. He recalls the memories of how they used to kiss at red lights, and now, being stuck at the light reminds him of the times he shared with her. He tries to block her out of his mind, but the pain of the breakup is too strong.
The chorus is the most significant and memorable part of the song. The singer is stuck at the stoplight, desperate for it to turn green so he can leave the encounter behind. He doesn't want to dwell on his past relationship, and the green light represents a chance to move on from it. However, despite his best efforts to move on, even closing his eyes won't get rid of the memories of her. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that he's still hurting, and that it will take time for him to move on fully.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard you found somebody else
I found out that you are with somebody new
But I hadn't seen it for myself
I have not seen you and your new partner together
It ain't been problem, not thinkin' often 'bout you
I have not been thinking about you much lately
We called it quits, I put it in my rearview
We ended our relationship and I tried to move on
One light away, on my way back home
I was almost home when I stopped at a traffic light
Thought I was done movin' on
I believed I had moved on from our relationship
But then you both pulled up, I haven't seen you in weeks
You and your new partner arrived at the same intersection as me, after weeks of not seeing you
I had to watch you look at him like you used to look at me
I saw you give your new partner the same gaze you used to give me
Bet you just left a party and nobody saw you leave
I guessed you and your new partner just left a party unnoticed
Like we used to, in the red of summer
We used to spend time together like this during the hot summer months
Now we're both stopped in the same place at 11:23
We are both at the same intersection at 11:23 pm
Prayin' that this light would just, please, please turn green
I am hoping and praying that the light turns green quickly so I can leave this situation behind
We used to love when it'd turned red
We used to enjoy the time spent together waiting at red lights
So I could lean to my right side and kiss your lips
I would lean towards you and kiss you during those red light moments
Now I'm here in the car and half my heart is to my left
Now I am in the car alone and feeling incomplete
Never thought that I'd have to watch you doin' that with him
I never thought I would see you give affection to someone else in front of me
Even if when I close my eyes, you're still in the picture
I still see you in my mind's eye when I close my eyes
Even if I run this light, can't outrun the missin' you
Even if I were to run the red light, I cannot escape the feeling of missing you
Thought I had you out my mind
I believed that I had forgotten about you and moved on
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Christian Griswold, Dallas Wilson, Evan Cline, Jaten Dimsdale, Michael Whitworth
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sapimae3486
I heard you found somebody else
But I hadn't seen it for myself
It ain't been problem, not thinkin' often 'bout you
We called it quits, I put it in my rearview
Whole lot of way, on my way back home
Thought I was done movin' on
But there you both pulled up, I haven't seen you in weeks
I had to watch you look at him like you used to look at me
Bet you just left a party and nobody saw you leave
Like we used to, in the red of summer
Now we're both stopped in the same place, at 11:23
Prayin' that this light will just, please, please turn green
Just please, turn green
We used to love when it turned red
So I could lean to my right side and kiss your lips
Now I'm here in a car and have my harness to my left
Never thought that I'd have to watch you doin' that with him
But there you both pulled up, I haven't seen you in weeks
I had to watch you look at him like you used to look at me
Bet you just left a party and nobody saw you leave
Like we used to, in the red of summer
Now we're both stopped in the same place, at 11:23
Prayin' that this light will just, please, please turn green
Just please, turn
Even when I close my eyes, you're still in the picture
Even if I run this light, can't outrun the missin' you
Thought I had you out of my mind
But there you both pulled up, I haven't seen you in weeks
I had to watch you look at him like you used to look at me
Bet you just left a party and nobody saw you leave
Like we used to, in the red of summer
Now we're both stopped in the same place, at 11:23
Prayin' that this light will just, please, please turn green
Just please, turn green
@princessofdarkness2934
I don't think you understand how much you help people with mental health. Just the sound of your voice lifts people. You are so honest,raw and real. Please always stay this way x
@jenniferhoward3789
I am X... thank you
@raukuracave4714
This! So true.. saved my life!
@princessofdarkness2934
@@raukuracave4714 so so glad to hear that
@lilbit_tatted_2766
π―π―π―
@juleselizabeth8348
Yes xx so so much!
@eatschmitt4265
This song literally made me break down in the middle of the work day. So many of your songs hit so personally to me. Love your art man.
@jeffreynepgen7710
Somebody should give him a record deal teddy you've got an amazing voice don't ever stop doing what you do best
@stephenwilham6234
In this day in age you need a record deal to make a living these days? Cough cough sound cloud πππ
@lideabarker8161
I don't know much about the music business but now with all the social media and Ytube one might be better off on their own. Are recording deals really still the best way?